


A Break for the Ace

by ArturoSavinni



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 04:47:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5695342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArturoSavinni/pseuds/ArturoSavinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asahi runs into Nishinoya at the shrine on New Year's day, and they later go to Nishinoya's house, where he receives a gift for his birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Break for the Ace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slothesaurus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slothesaurus/gifts).



The shrine is really far too busy for Asahi’s tastes, but there’s not much he can do about it. It is New Year’s day, after all. He and his grandmother have just finished doing their prayers, and are doing their best to push past the crowd of people. It’s no easy task despite his large size. Plus he’s been stopped more than once with people concerned he’s harassing his own grandmother!

Maybe he should shave? No, he still likes his appearance even if it causes him distress from time to time. When he’s near the center of the shrine, Suga spots him and he laughs almost instantly. “Er, what is it?”

“Well, it’s just, you’re with your grandma!” Suga says, unable to quell his grin, even as he bows respectfully to his elder and introduces his parents. Really, he and Daichi have too much fun with their joke about his timid demeanour meaning that he must have been raised by his Grandma.

After a short conversation and more teasing, from both Suga and his mother, Asahi departs with his Grandma. It’s when he’s near the stairs that he hears a familiar voice, which makes his heart speed up slightly. He pauses, making his grandmother frown at him as she attempts to tug him along. Well, he is supposed to be helping her make it safely down the stairs.

It takes a good ten minutes to safely reach the bottom, though they probably could have done it sooner if Asahi pushed a little more. But what would he do if he caused a domino effect of everyone falling down the stairs? That would be terrible! Plus he himself could get injured, and Spring High is just around the corner. He really can’t afford an injury. Daichi would kill him. Not to mention everyone’s disappointed expressions. They wouldn’t talk to him again.

“Asahi-san!” How sad it would be if Karasuno had to go to Nationals without their Ace? “Asahi-san!” What if due to the extra stress, Shimizu, Suga and Daichi fail their university entrance exams? They’d hate him for sure. “Asahi-san!”

“Asahi dear, someone is calling out to you.” Asahi’s grandmother pinches him, startling him, but does the job of knocking him out of his despairiging thoughts.

“Eh? Oh!” It’s the voice from before, and now Asahi really does have to stop. Which is just as well, because Nishinoya is suddenly bounding right in front of him.

“Friend of yours?” Grandma asks, raising her eyebrow at Nishinoya’s exuberance.

“We’re in the volleyball club together!” Nishinoya answers in Asahi’s stead.

“Oh? Well, then I pray for your victory.”

Nishinoya’s cheeks flush slightly, and he laughs while rubbing that back of his head. “Ah, thank-you.” He says while bowing deeply.

“Where are your parents?” Grandma asks. Asahi wonders that too, and looks around, though he has no idea what Nishinoya’s parents look like.

“Hm? Oh, well they seen some relatives and went off with them. We already got our blessings for the New Year, so they said I was free to go.” Nishinoya answers while he rocks on the balls of his feet, looking at Asahi, as though he’s waiting for something from him.

Asahi has no idea what Nishinoya could possibly want from him. He didn’t owe him something did he? Grandma smiles knowingly at him though, which makes Asahi’s mind race even further. “We’ve just finished too. Was quite the hassle to get down though. The way you move, I doubt you have much trouble.”

“Eh?! Asahi-san! Use your height some more!” Nishinoya slaps Asahi’s arm really hard, making him wince. “You have to protect your grandmother!”

“W-wha? I did!” Asahi furrows his brows, and stands up a little straighter.

Grandma laughs and pats his arm gently. “Asahi did just fine. We’re here at the bottom, right?”

It’s Nishinoya’s turn to laugh, and he jostles Asahi some more; his proximity is really giving Asahi’s heart a workout. Though it isn’t anything new, Nishinoya always makes Asahi very aware of how fast his heart is beating or rather, that it is beating at all. Usually a person isn’t aware of such things, right?

After a few more minutes of conversing, Asahi’s grandmother tells him to go off with Nishinoya, though not before handing him an envelope.

“Wah, your New Year’s money?” Nishinoya asks, as they finally make it some distance away from the shrine and out of the bustle of the packed crowd.

“Y-yeah.” Asahi says, while he peeks inside the envelope. He’s always gotten a little more than his friends due the first being his birthday as well.

Nishinoya grins and slaps him hard on the arm again, and Asahi is positive he has a bruise there now. How did someone so small hit so hard anyway? Well, Suga hits really hard too, now that he thinks about it. Perhaps he’s lucky that Hinata doesn’t quite have the same power. He’d lose the ace title for sure.

No, he shouldn’t think of such troublesome things. Didn’t he just say that Spring High was right around the corner? Or rather, almost directly after they get back from the New Year break. Asahi tugs at the sleeves of his coat, peeling out threads as he frets over all the opponents they’re about to face. He knows they beat Shiratorizawa, but aren’t there two other teams with super aces? They look really scary too. At least from the videos Coach Ukai managed to get ahold of for the team to watch.

Plus... when he gets back, his fellow third years will have to take their university entrance exams. They’re going to be so stressed! It’s making him stressed for them. He’s kinda glad he’s not in a college preparatory class after all.

“You’re worrying too much.” Nishinoya’s voice cuts through Asahi’s thoughts like a wildfire, making him pause and blink.

“Er...”

“It’s written all over your face Asahi-san.”

“Spring high is this week...”

Nishinoya tilts his head, and then he nods slowly. “Yeah, it’s great isn’t it?” 

“You’re not worried?”

“About what?” Nishinoya furrows his brows slightly, then his smile is almost as sharp as his eyes. “I’m looking forward to all of the strong guys we’re gonna face!”

“Exams are right after too...” Asahi says, flitting his eyes nervously and watches as Noya makes a disgruntled face.

“Why’d you have to remind me...”

They reach Nishinoya’s street after discussing the perils of exams a little more, before Nishinoya rejects the topic altogether. 

This just leads to Asahi to ponder more about graduation. “Spring High will be my last tournament.” He says quietly, as Nishinoya opens the door to his house. When he doesn’t receive an answer, he thinks that perhaps his thought went unheard. It’s probably for the better. Suga and Daichi are always telling him not to be so sentimental. 

“You’re more stressed than usual, huh, Asahi-san.” Nishinoya finally responds, after they settle down at the kotatsu. It’s just now starting to warm up, which Asahi is grateful for. The walk here had been rather chilly. In fact, Nishinoya’s cheeks and nose are still tinged red. 

“Well... I don’t know if it’s more than usual... but maybe.”

Nishinoya appraises Asahi, his full attention on him, making Asahi far more nervous than when their hands had briefly touched during their walk. Is it normal for one’s heart to beat so quickly? Also, he’s starting to perspire. Maybe the temperature for the kotatsu is too high. Before Asahi can ponder over that for too long Nishinoya suddenly jolts up out of his seat, dashes out of the room and leaves Asahi alone for two minutes until he’s right next to him again.

“I have something for you.” Nishinoya says, and he looks strangely hesitant. This makes Asahi worry that he’s done something wrong somehow. 

“For me?” Asahi hedges the question slowly.

“Yeah, um, here.” Nishinoya holds out a rather crudely wrapped package. “Happy Birthday.” He says as Asahi’s hands settle over the gift. “If you don’t like just say so, okay!”

“Eh, um...” There’s no way Asahi could ever say something like that, even if he truly hates what is under the wrapping. 

As Asahi peels away the last of the wrapping paper, he finds that it is a leather bound book. A book on poetry no less. Asahi blinks and looks up at Nishinoya who is sitting so still that’s it unnerving, and he’s not even breathing either! 

“You got this for me?”

“Well, I know, at Christmas... you gave Yamaguchi that book. You said you liked this stuff. Ah! Maybe you have this already!” Nishinoya smacks his forehead, and is about to go into a full blown lamentation attack before Asahi stops him.

“N-Nishinoya! It’s fine. I... I don’t have this one. It’s really nice, thank-you.” Asahi smiles, and his chest flutters, but this time it isn’t in discomfort. His body feels lighter, and somehow it’s as though he’s ready to conquer the world, or at the very least the Spring High. 

In an instant Nishinoya returns his smile, but it is much brighter, Asahi finds. To think that it is him that put it there. After they gaze dumbly at each other for perhaps longer than acceptable, Asahi opens the book, his fingers brushing against the paper, and begins to read one of the poems.

“Louder Asahi-san!” Nishinoya says and he’s suddenly much closer, practically pressed into Asahi’s side as he waits to listen to Asahi read aloud.

They spend well over an hour like that, with Asahi reading to Nishinoya, who surprisingly hasn’t grown bored of the poetry at all, stating that Asahi’s voice makes it much more interesting. Asahi is feeling far more relaxed afterwards, and is able to greet Nishinoya’s family properly when they return home, with no nervous stammer at all. 

When it is time to return home, Nishinoya walks him out, and as they stand outside, the temperature having dropped considerably, Asahi shivers slightly. Nishinoya holds his hand for a moment, making him warm all over again. “I’m glad I got to see you today, Asahi-san.” That earnest, determined look is back in his eyes, but this time Asahi doesn’t look away.

Instead he smiles, and nods. “I’m glad that I ran into you too. Thank-you for the gift.” Nishinoya squeezes his hand before he lets go. “Good night Nishinoya, and Happy New Year.”

“You too Asahi-san.” He gives Asahi a short nod before he heads back inside, leaving Asahi feeling as though he could float up into the sky despite his size. What _was_ he worried about again?


End file.
